[Mr Kino]

If the start key on PC's pulls up the start menu, how come the apple key does not bring down the apple menu? Or am I doing something wrong?

[TheJoshu]

in the Finder desktop, command+up arrow brings up a new window at your home directory level. command+down arrow opens whatever icon is currently selected. when you click on a menu, you can let go and navigate with the arrow keys. that's all I know.

[waxcrash]

Go to "System Preferences" and click on "Keyboard & Mouse", then click on "Keyboard Shortcuts". At the bottom you will see a check box for "Turn on full keyboard access" - click it.

[drive-thru]

The Apple key (Command) is mainly used for shortcuts, Cmd-Q will Quit the current application, Cmd-C is Copy, Cmd-V is Paste etc.

If you want to bring down the apple menu press Ctrl-F2. Make sure you have the relevant options enabled in System Preferences>Keyboard & Mourse>Keyboard Shortcuts, there are quite a few navigational shortcuts listed there.

The Start menu on XP is usually where you start if you want to make a new document or open an application. The Apple Menu doesn't really have the same function, if you want to open an app you click it's icon in the dock.
If you drag your Applications folder into the right hand side of the dock, next to the trash, then you can click and hold (or right-click) the icon and the list of all your Applications will come up, allowing you to open any app. Or you can simply drag the apps you use into the dock and have instant access to them from there.

[mdc]

Originally posted by Mr Kino:
If the start key on PC's pulls up the start menu, how come the apple key does not bring down the apple menu? Or am I doing something wrong?

i think microsoft did that because they could not think of any good reasons for having a windows key on the keyboard.
i wonder how many windows users actually know of the windows key uses? like windows+e for explorer, win+d for deskop. i can't remember any others anymore.

but yeah, apple menu is not the same as the start menu. i suggest going to macupdate.com and getting launchbar, or quicksilver (if you do not want to pay for shareware). it will make launching apps (and other goodies) a lot easier.

[Mr Kino]

Thank you.

by the way, on my iBooks, to bring down the apple menu its ctlr+fn+F2 key. I would think it is the same with powerbooks.

[saddino]

Originally posted by Mr Kino:
Thank you.

by the way, on my iBooks, to bring down the apple menu its ctlr+fn+F2 key. I would think it is the same with powerbooks.

Ctrl+F2 opens the menu ONLY if you have the "Focus on Menu" keyboard shortcut enabled (checked) in the Keyboard & Mouse Control panel (under the Keyboard Shortcuts tab).

[Avenir]

Originally posted by Mr Kino:
Thank you.

by the way, on my iBooks, to bring down the apple menu its ctlr+fn+F2 key. I would think it is the same with powerbooks.

It is the same on my PB. always sorta bugged me I could never make the F keys work without Fn, and the volume/screen keys require fn.

Now that I think about it, I'm sure there's a way to do this, I've just never looked into it.

Originally posted by Avenir:
It is the same on my PB. always sorta bugged me I could never make the F keys work without Fn, and the volume/screen keys require fn.

Now that I think about it, I'm sure there's a way to do this, I've just never looked into it.

System Prefs: Keyboard and Mouse: that big checkbox in the centre of the pane.

*I don't think that setting shows up on desktop Macs.

[Avenir]

Originally posted by hayesk:
System Prefs: Keyboard and Mouse: that big checkbox in the centre of the pane.

*I don't think that setting shows up on desktop Macs.

No way. The Apple Reseller I used to work for would fire me for this pitiful lack of knowledge. I really need to explore this amazing computer more. Will check my laptop when I get home (there's nothing on this desktop showing up)